Device for feeding cartridges of ammunition out of a cartridge magazine of an automatic gun



Feb. 28, 1967 CHRISTIANSSON 3,306,165

M. DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES OF AMMUNITION OUT OF A CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF AN AUTOMATIC GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1965 IN VENIOfi CARL MAUI? I TZ CHEISTIANS-S'ON BY HWM A r TOR/VE rs 1967 c. M. CHRISTIANSSON DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES OF AMMUNITION 0 OF A CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF AN AUTOMATIC GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1965 LN VEN TOR CAR L. MAU/e/ TZ CHE/S 77/4NS S ON ,4 7- TOR/m r5 United States Patent Ofilice Filed Jan. 6, 1965, Set. No. 423,783 5 Claims. (Cl. 89-33) The invention relates to a device for feeding cartridges of ammunition in a cartridge magazine of a gun, and relates in particular to a feeding mechanism for a cartridge magazine of the kind in which the cartridges are held above each other with their longitudinal axes extending horizontally in a plurality of mutually parallel vertical magazine parts constituting vertical chutes and in which the cartridges are to be fed to a cartridge outlet port by being brought sideways through the magazine along a channel located at the bottom of the magazine below the vertical magazine chutes in order to be fed out of the outlet port one by one, for instance to a cartridge-guide means in position to be rammed into the cartridge-chamber of the gun barrel, to an apparatus for further conveyance to a cartridge-guide, or for emptying the magazine.

Cartridge magazines comprising a plurality of mutually parallel vertical chutes in which the cartridges are supported on top of each other in each chute in order to be fed stepwise downward along the chute each time a lowermost cartridge is fed out of the chute at the bottom thereof, comprise, as a rule, releasable cartridge support means which define a compartment for one cartridge and normally hold the cartridges at rest in the chute above each other. These support means are arranged so as to release a cartridge to move downward in the chute one step as soon as a cartridge occupying a lower cartridge compartment in the chute has been released and left the compartment free.

In a cartridge magazine of the kind described it is essential, in order to avoid blocking of the feed, that the cartridges fed into the channel extending below the lower mouths of the magazine shafts occupy proper position in relation to the chutes when at rest in the period between two successive feed operations, so that control means for controlling cartridge retaining means at the bottom of each chute are properly actuated. Said cartridge retaining means are arranged at the bottom of each cartridge chute and block the feed of cartridges downwards in a chute as long as a cartridge is present in the transport path below the chute mouth. As soon as no cartridge is present in a part of the lateral transport path located below a specific chute, the cartridge located lowermost in the chute is released by said retaining means and the cartridge allowed to move down into the lateral transport path.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for feeding cartridges within a cartridge magazine of the kind described and by means of which the cartridges are conveyed laterally at the bottom of the magazine below the chutes along a path extending below the mouths of the chutes, the feeding of the cartridges along said path proceeding accurately determined feed distances in relation to the mouths of the chutes.

With this object in view the invention relates to a cartridge feeding device of a cartridge magazine of the kind described and thus including a plurality of mutually parallel part magazines in form of magazine chutes arranged side by side and each at the bottom thereof opening out into a channel for feeding the cartridges laterally and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cartridges along a cartridge transport track or path extending lateral y to the longitudinal direction of the chutes and i atented Feb. 28, 1967 located below the mouths of the magazine chutes, towards an outlet port for the cartridges located at the bottom'part of a side wall of the magazine. According to the invention, the feeding device comprises, in combination, a set of cartridge driving means the number of which corresponds to the number of cartridge chutes arranged laterally of each other, said driving means together constituting a unit and having a mutual distance in the direction of cartridge transport track corresponding to the width of the chutes. These driving means are reciprocatingly movable as a unit along said path a distance corresponding to said width of the chutes from a position, the start position, in which the cartridge driving means are each located rearwardly of a chute as seen from the outlet port of the magazine, and to a position, the end position, in which all said driving means but for the one located'next to the outlet port occupies a position rearwardly of the adjacent chute in the direction towards the outlet port of the magazine. Further, the driving means are movable laterally to the direction of the transport track "between an active position for actuating a cartridge lying on the transport track for feeding cartridges along said track, and an inactive position in which they are located out of the way of a cartridge resting on the transport track. In addition thereto the device comprises a set of cartridge retaining means which are located on either side of the chutes and which are arranged to be movable between two end positions, namely an active position in which cartridge retaining means extend into spaces in the channel on either sides of the mouth of each chute for retaining cartridges lying on the transport track against movement along this track and an inactive position, respectively, in which said cartridge retaining means are located out of the way of cartridges moving laterally along the transport track. Further, the device includes motor means to impart to the cartridge driving means a reciprocating motion between said start position and said end position along the transport track, and means .to move the cartridge driving means from the inactive position thereof to the active position thereof and to bring said cartridge retaining means to the inactive position thereof in the starting position of the unit, and to bring the cartridge driving means from the active position thereof to the inactive position thereof and to bring the cartridge retaining means to the active position thereof in the end position of the unit.

The set of cartridge driving means as well as the set of cartridge retaining means is preferably each arranged in form of two rows of cartridge actuating arms, each row extending in the direction of the transport track on either sides thereof to co-operate with the front part and the rear part, respectively, of cartridges located on the track after having been fed down into the transport channel from the bottom mouth of the cartridge chutes in position to be brou it towards the outlet port of the magazine during the motion of the set of cartridge driving means in the direction towards said port.

The arms constituting the cartridge driving means of each row are preferably fastened to and extend laterally from a bar constituting a common support for the arms and extending in the direction of the transport track. By means of this bar the drivingarms are as a unit movable into and out of active position for actuating a cartridge deposited on the transport track, and, also as a unit, exposed to the reciprocating motion mentioned above. Similarly, the cartridge retaining arms of each row of such arms are attached to and protrude laterally of a support bar extending in the direction of the feed track, and by means of which the respective cartridge retaining arms can be brought out of and into the active position of these means, in which motion of the cartridges along the feed track is being restrained. The cartridge driving arms and the support bars therefor as well as the cartridge retaining arms and the support means therefor thus constitute gate-like means which are hereinafter referred to as feed-gates and stop-gates, respectively.

In an embodiment facilitating a space saving arrangement of the driving arms and the retaining arms in relation to the feed track, the driving arms are pivotal about axes which are located below the transport track and extend parallel to the feed direction and about which the driving arms can be pivoted between the active position thereof in which they extend into the path of cartridges in the channel to actuate cartridges deposited on the track, and the inactive position in which they are located out of this path, and vice versa. After having been brought to their inactive position and when returning as a unit from their end position in the longitudinal direction of the transport track after a feed motion, the cartridge driving anms can thus pass below cartridges at rest on the track, the cartridges during this return movement being held steady on the track by the cartridge retaining arms which are, during this movement of the driving arms, swung into their active position.

In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, the driving arms and the retaining arms are each coupled to a common actuating means for providing a simultaneous shift of the position of the driving arms into active position and the retaining arms out of active position, and vice versa, the first positioning being provided in the start position of the driving arms for a feed motion along the track and the latter positioning in the end position of the driving arms after a feed motion and before the following return stroke to the start position.

In a furhter preferred embodiment according to the invention the cartridge driving arms are pivotally sup ported in a carriage which is movable back and forth in the feed direction driven by the reciprocating motor means, and the means for providing for pivoting of the driving arms and the retaining arms, respectively, comprise a switching means, which operates at a change of direction of movement of the motor means and which during an introductory part of a stroke of the motor means and the carriage provides for a pivotal movement of the driving arms and the retaining arms from the position of said components occupied during a preceding stroke of the motor means to the opposite position. T this end the device comprises a control level for switching over the driving arms and the retaining arms in the starting position and the end position of the carriage, said control lever being pivotally attached to the carriage and constituting part of a linkage connecting the reciprocating motor means to the driving arms and the retaining arms. The control lever is displaceable in relation to the carriage between two end positions which'are defined by two abutment studs on the carriage framing, located at a distance from each other required for applying to the control lever a motion in relation .to the carriage required for swinging over the arms between the respective end positions thereof. During an introductory part of a stroke of the reciprocating motor means the control lever has a free motion in relation to the carriage during which the driving arms and the retaining arms are pivotal, whereafter the control lever abuts against either stud, whereafter, during the following part of the stroke, the control lever takes the carriage with it, thus moving the driving arms from start position to end position, or vice versa. In order that the carriage shall not start moving from its start or end position, respectively, before the arms have been completely swung into the proper position for the following movement of the carriage, the linkage for actuating the arms, and of which the control lever constitutes part, further comprises an interlocking means constituting one part of a bi-directional interlocking device arranged between the linkage and a stationary component of the magazine. The interlocking means of the linkage is attached to and moveable together with the linkage in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carriage and co-operative with two stationary uni-directional interlocking means, one of which is co-operative with the interlocking means of the arm operating linkage in the start position of the carriage, and the second one of which is co-operative with the interlocking means of the linkage in the end position of the carriage, said stationary uni-directional interlocking means being arranged so as to prevent a movement of the carriage from an end position thereof before the arms have been brought to the correct position for the following motion of the carriage by means of the arm operating linkage. During this setting of the arms, the interlocking means of the linkage moves into a position in which the interlocking device is finally released, so as to allow a movement of the carriage in the direction of the force acting between the linkage and the carriage.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fractional perspective view illustrating the arrangement of two cartridge magazines, one on each side of barrel and loading means of a gun, each magazine comprising vertical, mutually parallel shafts for cartridges, the chutes at the bottoms thereof opening into a horizontal channel for feeding the cartridges sideways below the mouth of the chutes into the channel,

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing a cartridge feeding device according to the invention in combination with a reciprocating driving motor, the cartridge feeding device comprising cartridge driving arms for feeding cartridges and constituting parts of pivotal feed-gates movable back and forth in the channel below the mouths of the chutes, and the cartridge retaining arms are arranged as pivotal stop-gates which are not moveable in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge channel,

FIG. 3 illustrates details of means for driving the feed gates in a reciprocating motion and for pivoting the feedgates and the stop-gates at the beginning of each stroke of the reciprocating driving motor,

FIG. 4 illustrates parts of the means illustrated in FIG. 3 for providing pivotal movement of the gates in proper direction in the start and end positions of the feed-gates in the direction of the channel,

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate details of an interlocking device to prevent a forward or return motion, respectively, of the feed-gates during the pivotal movement of the gates, and

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of means for simultaneously pivoting the feed-gates to active position and the stop-gates to inactive position, and vice versa.

FIG. 1 shows schematically an arrangement of cartridge magazine utilizing a cartridge feeding device according to the invention on a gun having a barrel 1 and a cartridge rammer 2, not illustrated in detail, for laterally moving cartridges to the barrel from outlet ports of cartridge magazine 3, of which one magazine is arranged on each side of the rammer. Each cartridge magazine includes a plurality of compartments for cartridges, each constituting a vertical magazine chute 4 having a bottom mouth 5 merging into a horizontal transport channel 6 which extends below the mouths of all chutes and in which cartridges '7 fed down to the channel from the cartridge chutes are to be successively transported laterally in a horizontal direction to the rammer 2 of the gun. The cartridge chutes 4 are equipped with cartridge retaining means, not illustrated, releasing a lowermost cartridge contained in a chute if no cartridge is present in the channel below the mouth of the chute when the cartridge feeding means for feeding the cartridges horizontally in the channel are in their start position.

The horizontal transport channel 6 includes a cartridge feeding device 8 according to the invention, an embodiment of which is described more in detail with reference to FIGS. 2-7. During a forward motion of the cartridge.

feeding device 8 all of the cartidges located within the channel 6 below the mouth of the chutes simultaneously transported one step in direction towards the outlet port of the magazine, a cartridge site below the chute which is located remotest from the outlet port being left unoccupied by a cartridge. By means of cartridge releasing means arranged in combination with each chute and not further illustrated as not constituting part of this invention, a further cartridge, if present in this chute, is then released and fed down to the unoccupied cartridge site elow the chute when the feeding device 8 has returned to its start position. During successive forward and backward strokes of the feeding device 8 the vertical chutes will thus be emptied successively, beginning with the chute located remotest from the outlet port of the magazine.

FIGS. 2-7 illustrate a cartridge feeding device located in the right hand magazine 3 of FIG. 1. The feeding device of the left hand magazine of FIG. 1 is essentially a duplication of the one illustrated in FIGS. 2-7.

FIG. 2 shows the feeding device perspectively and in part as exploded view, the cartridge feeding arms and a framing in which said feeding arms are supported being illustrated in an elevated position in relation to the other components of the cartridge feeding device.

A support structure 11 constituting the bottom part of magazine 3 carries two guide rails 12 supporting a feed carriage comprising a carriage framing 14 and rollers 13 running in the guide rails 12. The framing 14 carries two pivotally hinged rods 15 which extend essentially in the direction of the rails and thus in direction of movement of the carriage, and carry cartridge feeding arms 16 protruding perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the rod to which they are attached. The rods 15 are pivotal about pivots 17 in the framing 14 at the forward and rearward end thereof. The feeding arms 16 and the rods together constitute feed-gates which can be pivoted between an active position for feedingin which the arms 16 extend upwardly between cartridges 7 located in the channel 3 and resting, for instance, on the upper edge 18 of side bars of the framing 14 extending in the feed direction, or on the upwardly facing surfaces of guide rails 12, or other guide bars arranged so as to constitute a feed path for the cartridges during the forward transport thereof by means of the feeding device, and an inactive position in which they are located below the level of the feed path.

The feed-gates 15, 16 are pivotal by means of a gate positioning means, which, in particular with a view to make possible a positioning of the feed-gates at the beginning of each stroke of the carriage during the reciprocating movement thereof, is arranged on the carriage as part of a mechanism for transferring driving power from a reciprocating hydraulic or pneumatic motor 20 to the carriage.

In the embodiment as illustrated, this gate positioning means comprises a gate operating lever 23 which is pivotal about a pivot 22 attached to a bottom part 21 of the feed carriage, two arms of said operating lever 23 being, by means of pivotal joints 24 and connection rods 25 coupled to an arm 28 on each feed-gate 15, 16 by means of a pivotal joint 26. By pivoting lever 23 about pivot 22 between two end positions, the feed-gate can be pivoted between the active and inactive positions mentioned above. To pivot lever 23 and the feed-gates with it in dependence of the driving motor, the lever 23 is connected to the reciprocating driving motor 20, by means of a further arm 27 and a pivotal joint 29, as illustrated .by means of a lever 31 which is pivotal about a pivot and by means of a pivotal joint 32 connected to a piston connecting rod 33 of the reciprocating motor 20. By means of lever 23 the feed-gates 15, 16 are thus, during the introductory part of each stroke of the motor 20 in either direction moved from the end position occupied during a preceding stroke into a new end position.

FIGS. 2 and 4 show stop lugs 34 and 35 fastened to the bottom part 21 of the carriage to co-operate with arm 27 of lever 23 and located at a distance from each other to restrict the angular movement of this arm to what is necessary for moving the feed-gates between the active and the inactive position, and vice versa. 7

In order that the cartridge shall not start moving in either direction before arm 27 has reached an end position determined by lugs 34 and 35, respectively, and thus the feed-gates have been swung completely from their active to their inactive position, or vice versa, the device comprises a carriage retaining means, the action of which is dependent on the position of the gate positioning means and which does not leave the carriage free to move in the direction of the driving force of the reciprocating motor before the gate positioning means, and the feed-gates therewith, have reached the position required for the direction of movement in question. Said carriage retaining means comprise, in the embodiment as illustrated, an abutment dowel 40 which in one end position of the carriage and as long as connecting lever 25 has not yet been brought into the end position corresponding to the angular position of the feed-gates during a following motion of the carriage, is

being prevented to move in the direction of the feed track by either one of two uni-directional interlocking means 41 and 42, respectively, which are stationary in relation to the support structure 11 and in the embodiment illustrated attached to a support bar 49. Each one of these unidirectional interlocking means 41 and 42 comprise an abutment surface 43 and 44, respectively, so arranged that dowel 40 is released from one of said abutment surface for movement in one direction in one end position of the connecting lever 25, and from the second abutment surface in the other end position of the connecting lever. This carriage retaining means is illustrated more in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6.

One of the connecting levers 25 comprises a dowel 45 which is located so as to be able to co-operate with either abutment surface 43 or 44 in the end positions of the carriage, namely, with one of the surfaces as long as the connecting lever 25 has not yet reached one of its end positions, and with the second one as long as the connecting lever 25 has not reached its other end position. Oblique slide surfaces 47 and 48 connect to abutment surfaces 43 and 44, respectively, said slide surfaces 47 and 48 being co-operative with the free end of dowel 45, so that the dowel, after having slid sideways past, for instance, abutment surface 43 in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 5 during a movement of connecting lever 25 into one end position thereof, is left free to move along slide surface 48 as illustrated in FIG. 6 in order to finally fall in behind abutment surface 44 at the end of the movement along the slide surface by force of a spring 46.

Cartridge retaining means 51 which are arranged to hold the cartridges steady during a return stroke of the carriage extend laterally of rods 52 which are carried by the sup port structure 11 and pivotal about pivots 53 hearing in the support structure. The retaining means 51 and rods 52 together constitute cartridge retaining gates, stop-gates, which, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, are being actuated together with the feed-gates, for which purpose each connecting link 25 comprises an extension 54 which is coupled to an actuating lever of a stop-gate 51, 52. As illustrated in FIG. 7 this lever comprises two fins 55 and 56, respectively, extending a distance at least corresponding to the length of stroke of the carriage along each rod 52 and protruding radially from the pivotal axis of the rod, said fins 55 and 56 enclosing a guide groove 57 for a hook 58 extending laterally from extension 54 of connecting link 25 into the groove. The hook 58 can thus slide in the longitudinal direction of guide groove 57 during the reciprocating motion of the carriage relative to the support structure and the stop-gates, remaining in engagement with the stop-gate actuating lever constituted by the fins 55 and 56.

The function of the feeding device is now being described, beginning with the position of the device in which the feed-gates have completed a feeding motion. In this position, the end position of the carriage 13, 14 the feed-gates 15, 16 are still swung upwardly into their active position after the preceding forward transport of the cartridges along the channel, and the stop-gates 51, 52 swung downwardly into their inactive position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Arm 27 of the gate positioning means 23-27 is in the position occupied during the preceding feeding motion, which as illustrated in FIG. 2 proceeds in the left hand direction, abutting against lug 35, FIGS. 2 and 4. When, during following stroke, the piston connecting rod 33 of motor moves in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIGS. 3 and 4 for bringing the feed carriage back to its start position, the arm 27 is first being swung by arm 31 about its pivot 22, leaving the abutment 35 and taking the connecting links with it. The feedgates 15, 16 are thus being swung out of their active position and the stop-gates 51, 52 to their active position, as indicated by arrows in FIGS. 3 and 7. During the first part of this swinging movement of arm 27, dowel 40 rests against abutment surface 43, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, a motion of a carriage 13, 14 along bars 12 thus being prevented during the movement of the gates. When arm 27 has arrived to its end position, abutting against lug 34, the dowel 40 has been displaced by motion of connecting link 25 so as to leave abutment surface 43 in the position illustrated in FIG. 4. During the further movement of piston rod 33 the lever 31 takes the carriage with it in the direction indicated by an arrow by the intermediary of arm 27 abutting against lug 34. During this movement of the carriage the cartridges resting on the feed path or track are held steady in proper position below the shafts by the retaining arms 51 of the stop-gates which, during this motion of the carriage, are swung into their active position. start position for a further forward transport of cartridges, dowel 4t falls in behind abutment surface 44 by action of spring 46 against the action of which it has been displaced while sliding over slide surface 47.

Similarly, during a following stroke of the driving motor arm 27 will first be swung from the postion in which it abuts against lug 34 and into contact with lug while moving the gates in the opposite direction, a movement of the carriage in the feed direction being prevented during the movement of the gates by the dowel abutting against abutment surface 44. The completion of the movement of the gates brings the dowel 40 of engagement with abuttment surface 44, whereafter the carriage is free to move towards its end position While taking the cartridges with it.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for feeding cartridges of ammunition within a cartridge magazine of a gun including a plurality of mutually parallel vertical magazine compartments constituting vertical magazine chutes arranged side by side and each opening at the bottom into a channel for feeding the cartridges laterally and perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cartridges along a cartridge transport path extending laterally to the longitudinal direction of the chutes below the bottom openings of the chutes towards an outlet port for the cartridges located at the bottom part of a side wall of the magazine, said feeding device comprising, in combination, a set of cartridge driving means the number of which corresponds to the number of cartridge chutes arranged laterally of each other, said driving means constituting a unit and having a spacing in the direction of the cartridge trans- When the carriage returns to its port path between each two cartridge driving means corresponding to the width of the chutes, said driving means being movable as a unit along said path in a reciprocating movement through a distance corresponding to said width of the chutes from a starting position, in which the cartridge driving means are each located rearwardly of a chute as seen from said outlet port of the magazine to an end position, in which all said driving means but the one located next to the outlet port occupy a position rearwardly of the adjacent chute in the direction towards the outlet port of the magazine, said driving means further being movable laterally to the direction of the transport path between an active position for actuating a cartridge lying on the transport path for feeding cartridges along said path, and an inactive position in which they are located out of the way of a cartridge resting on the transport path; a set of cartridge retaining means which are located on either side of the chutes and which are arranged to be movable between an active position in which the cartridge retaining means extend into spaces in the channel on either sides of the bottom opening of each chute for retaining cartridges lying on the transport path against movement along this path, and an inactive position in which said cartridge retaining means are located out of the way of cartridges moving laterally along the transport path; motor means connected to the cartridge driving means to impart to said driving means a reciprocating motion between said starting position and said end position along the transport path, means to move the cartridge driving means from the inactive position thereof to the active position thereof and to bring said cartridge retaining means from the active position thereof to the inactive position there of in the starting position of the unit, and to bring the cartridge driving means from the active position thereof to the inactive position thereof and to bring the cartridge retaining means from the inactive position thereof to the active position thereof in the end position of the unit, said set of cartridge retaining means each including two rows of cartridge actuating arms constituting rows of cartridge driving arms and rows of cartridge retaining arms respectively, each of said rows extending in the direction of the transport path to cooperate with the front and the rear end respectively of cartridges located on said transport path; a support rod extending in the direction of the transport path and being movable for bringing the cartridge retaining arms to and from an active position thereof, the arms of each row of cartridge retaining arms being attached to and protruding laterally from said support rod.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the driving arms of each row of such arms are pivotal between said active position and said inactive position thereof about axes located below the transport path and extending parallel to the feed direction.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which the driving arms and the retaining arms are each coupled to a common actuating means for providing a simultaneous shift of the position of the driving arms into the active position and retaining arms out of the active position, and vice versa.

4. A device according to claim 3 in which said driving arms are pivotally supported in a carriage which is movable back and forth in the direction of said transport path, and said common actuating means for providing a shift of the positions the driving arms and the retaining arms, respectively, is mounted on said carriage freely displaceable in relation to the carriage between two end positions defined by two abutment studs attached to the carriage and located at a distance from each other to allow said arm actuating means a motion in relation to the carriage required for swinging over the driving arms and the retaining arms between the respective end positions thereof.

5. A device according to claim 4 further comprising a bi-directional interlocking device comprising a movable interlocking means attached to and movable together with said arm actuating means in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the carriage, said movable interlocking means being co-operative With tWo stationary unidirectional interlocking means, one of which is cooperative with said movable interlocking means in a starting position of the carriage, and the second one of which is cooperative With said movable interlocking means in an .end position of the carriage, each one of said unidirectional interlocking means extending in the direction of movement of the movable interlocking means a distance corresponding to the motion of the arm actuating means for moving the driving arms and retaining arms, respectively, between the end positions thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES OF AMMUNITION WITHIN A CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE OF A GUN INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY PARALLEL VERTICAL MAGAZINE COMPARTMENTS CONSTITUTING VERTICAL MAGAZINE CHUTES ARRANGED SIDE BY SIDE AND EACH OPENING AT THE BOTTOM INTO A CHANNEL FOR FEEDING THE CARTRIDGES LATERALLY AND PERPENDICULARLY TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE CARTRIDGES ALONG A CARTRIDGE TRANSPORT PATH EXTENDING LATERALLY TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE CHUTES BELOW THE BOTTOM OPENINGS OF THE CHUTES TOWARDS AN OUTLET PORT FOR THE CARTRIDGES LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM PART OF A SIDE WALL OF THE MAGAZINE, SAID FEEDING DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SET OF CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS THE NUMBER OF WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE NUMBER OF CARTRIDGE CHUTES ARRANGED LATERALLY OF EACH OTHER, SAID DRIVING MEANS CONSTITUTING A UNIT AND HAVING A SPACING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CARTRIDGE TRANSPORT PATH BETWEEN EACH TWO CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OF THE CHUTES, SAID DRIVING MEANS BEING MOVABLE AS A UNIT ALONG SAID PATH IN A RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT THROUGH A DISTANCE CORRESPONDING TO SAID WIDTH OF THE CHUTES FROM A STARTING POSITION, IN WHICH THE CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS ARE EACH LOCATED REARWARDLY OF A CHUTE AS SEEN FROM SAID OUTLET PORT OF THE MAGAZINE TO AN END POSITION, IN WHICH ALL SAID DRIVING MEANS BUT THE ONE LOCATED NEXT TO THE OUTLET PORT OCCUPY A POSITION REARWARDLY OF THE ADJACENT CHUTE IN THE DIRECTION TOWARDS THE OUTLET PORT OF THE MAGAZINE, SAID DRIVING MEANS FURTHER BEING MOVABLE LATERALLY TO THE DIRECTION OF THE TRANSPORT PATH BETWEEN AN ACTIVE POSIATING A CARTRIDGE LYING ON THE TRANSPORT PATH FOR FEEDING CARTRIDGES ALONG SAID PATH, AND AN INACTIVE POSITION IN WHICH THEY ARE LOCATED OUT OF THE WAY OF A CARTRIDGE RESTING ON THE TRANSPORT PATH; A SET OF CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS WHICH ARE LOCATED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CHUTES AND WHICH ARE ARRANGED TO BE MOVABLE BETWEEN AN ACTIVE POSITION IN WHICH THE CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS EXTEND INTO SPACES IN THE CHANNEL ON EITHER SIDES OF THE BOTTOM OPENING OF EACH CHUTE FOR RETAINING CARTRIDGES LYING ON THE TRANSPORT PATH AGAINST MOVEMENT ALONG THIS PATH, AND AN INACTIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS ARE LOCATED OUT OF THE WAY OF CARTRIDGES MOVING LATERALLY ALONG THE TRANSPORT PATH; MOTOR MEANS CONNECTED TO THE CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS TO IMPART TO SAID DRIVING MEANS A RECIPROCATING MOTION BETWEEN SAID STARTING POSITION AND SAID END POSITION ALONG THE TRANSPORT PATH, MEANS TO MOVE THE CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS FROM THE INACTIVE POSITION THEREOF TO THE ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF AND TO BRING SAID CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS FROM THE ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF TO THE INACTIVE POSITION THERE OF IN THE STARTING POSITION OF THE UNIT, AND TO BRING THE CARTRIDGE DRIVING MEANS FROM THE ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF TO THE INACTIVE POSITION THEREOF AND TO BRING THE CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS FROM THE INACTIVE POSITION THEREOF TO THE ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF IN THE END POSITION OF THE UNIT, SAID SET OF CARTRIDGE RETAINING MEANS EACH INCLUDING TWO ROWS OF CARTRIDGE ACTUATING ARMS CONSTITUTING ROWS OF CARTRIDGE DRIVING ARMS AND ROWS OF CARTRIDGE RETAINING ARMS RESPECTIVELY, EACH OF SAID ROWS EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TRANSPORT PATH TO COOPERATE WITH THE FRONT AND THE REAR END RESPECTIVELY OF CARTRIDGES LOCATED ON SAID TRANSPORT PATH; A SUPPORT ROD EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TRANSPORT PATH AND BEING MOVABLE FOR BRINGING THE CARTRIDGE RETAINING ARMS TO AND FROM AN ACTIVE POSITION THEREOF, THE ARMS OF EACH ROW OF CARTRIDGE RETAINING ARMS BEING ATTACHED TO AND PROTRUDING LATERALLY FROM SAID SUPPORT ROD. 